Inside CDCR: Cultural group embraces history through music and tradition

For a cultural group at California State Prison, Solano (SOL), the voices of ancestors are still heard today, preserved through music and kinship.

The Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Cultural Group is one of many at SOL and prisons statewide devoted to celebrating cultural traditions. The SOL API group meets regularly under the guidance of Chaplain Yisroel Zaetz and Siu Laulea, who travels from the Bay Area each week to give her time and experience – and if she is not familiar with a particular tradition or practice, she researches it to share new information with the class.

The class holds various ceremonies and traditional dances, and shares their work with the rest of SOL by performing at special events such as graduations. Their beloved haka is a sure way to rev up a crowd, as the dancers don traditional garb and display the fierce war dance, complete with foot stomping, body slapping, and chanting. While the haka is described a war dance, the SOL class explained that its true meaning is rooted in pride, strength, and unity as a team.